#LetThemStay to Palm Sunday and beyond
Since February 3 when the government won the high court case challenging its power to deport 267 asylum seekers back to Nauru and Dutton said they would all be returned to Nauru - yet no one has been sent back to Nauru yet and a number of families have been moved into community detention. I don't think this would be the case if it wasn't for the let them stay campaign.Here are some of the articles, photos and videos Ive done on the upsurge in the refugee movement. Beginnings of let the stayApril 3 the High court ruling came down that gave the government the power to send 267 asylum seekers back to Nauru that had been brought to Australia for medical treatment. Dutton said they would all be returned to Nauru. Thousands of people around Australia came out to protest and the #LetThemStay movement was born. Here is my article on the court ruling and the initial protests (including photos from around the country): https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/61013 Here are some of my pictures from the Sydney action on Thursday Feb 4.
GetUp! called a national vigil for the following Monday. 
Sexual violence on Nauru Many women who make up the 267 who could be deported to Nauru don't want to go there as they fear they will be sexually assaulted. A number of them already have been. Numerous other women and children currently at Nauru face regular abuse at school and sexual harassment whilst walking around the island.Here is an article I wrote about it in the lead up to International Women's day that happens in February: https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/61257Here are some video snippets I filmed at from a forum hosted ] the refugee action coalition in Sydney held about women in offshore detention featuring Pamela Curr. Thea - a former save the children work on Nauru.
Thea an ex-Save The Children worker on Nauru talks about her e..."Mothers who describe themselves as been powerless to protect their girls from sexual harassment..." A former Save the Children worker talks about her experiences on Nauru.
Posted by Green Left Weekly on Monday, 29 February 2016
Pamela Curr from the asylum seeker resource center.
Pamela Curr from the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre talks about..."When you examine the evidence — there has been a deliberate policy of making these women's lives as miserable as possible." Pamela Curr speaks about what refugee women endure. You can watch her full speech here: https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/61199
Posted by Green Left Weekly on Tuesday, 1 March 2016
You can watch Pamela Curr's full speech here: https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/61199 Let them stay continues to growLet them stay grows in momentum, with an occupation outside the Lady Cilento hospital, where diverse sections of the community came out to support health professionals who refused to discharge baby Asha if it meant she was going to be sent to Nauru. I ran a live blog of the most intense night of protest when it looked like the government could be deporting her: https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/61120 Around the country people kept coming out in support of #LetThemStay from unionists to creative actions and hanging banners off massive towers and bridges. Here are some of my pics from a couple of health workers and an NTEU action.
#LetThemStay is built on years of campaigning In the lead up to the Palm Sunday rallies I wrote a piece starting when I first got involved in the campaign and looking at how and why it has grown since early 2011. https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/61277 Thousands turn out for Palm Sunday marches This years Palm Sunday was probably the broadest refugee rally in the country to date. Showing the growth of the movement. Here is a photo blog of actions around the country I coordinated (the blog): https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/61381 Here are some of my pics and video footage: 
Video of the several thousand strong march at the Sydney #PalmSunday rally for refugee rights. #LetThemStaycheck out photos and reports from rallies around the country here: https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/61381
Posted by Green Left Weekly on Sunday, 20 March 2016
Beyond Palm Sunday Since Palm Sunday it came to light the government has funded a 6 million dollar film aimed at deterring refugees from coming to Australia - this is a continuation of it cultural war on the refugee narrative. I wrote about it here: https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/61446Recently Dutton announced that all children would be moved into community detention (this is factually untrue, as there are still children locked up in Nauru detention center). More than two months since the high court decision - not one asylum seeker has been moved to NauruI share some of my thoughts about it on facebook:
Some of my thoughts on the 196 asylum seekers been moved to community detention and claims there are no children in...
Posted by Zebedee Parkes on Sunday, 3 April 2016